Porsche 911 Carrera S 2015 review
Porsche 911 is still hard to resist, even with turbos
This new turbocharged Porsche proves the 911 hasn’t lost what makes it a great sports car. The turbos have slightly muted the model’s trademark barking exhaust note, but they’ve also added incredible flexibility and taken the performance up another notch. It might be more expensive, but with extra tech, improved efficiency and a gently refreshed design, the 911 is still the performance car benchmark
There’s no stopping the pace of development – and Porsche’s new 911 is proof of that. This £85,857 Carrera S now has a pair of turbos bolted to its downsized 3.0-litre flat-six to boost efficiency, but it also serves up 414bhp and a massive 500Nm of torque from a mere 1,700rpm.
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While purists might not warm to the idea of the new turbo, there’s no denying this 991.2-generation car is much more usable. Floor the accelerator and the S romps down the road thanks to the solid wall of torque.
Mid-range thrust is noticeably more potent, and you no longer have to wind up the 911 to really get it moving. Of course, it still revs hard – take it up to its 7,500rpm red line and you’ll cover 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds. Top speed is 191mph. The overtaking potential means you can leave the car in gear and let the engine pull smoothly, making for relaxing long drives. But find a twisty road and you can revel in the breadth of ability.
The improved seven-speed manual feels nicely mechanical, and a new twin-plate clutch makes the pedal lighter. Adaptive dampers are standard, lowering the height by 10mm, yet the ride isn’t back-breaking. Bumps could be felt through our 20-inch wheels, but the car still flows nicely. Ramp things up into Sport mode and the body control tightens up, so if you thought it cornered hard before, think again.
Body roll is brilliantly controlled, but the car isn’t knocked off its cornering line by nasty bumps. The wide front track means there’s huge grip, while the precise steering delivers good feedback.
So the 911’s sporting credentials aren’t in doubt, and along with a new multimedia system and Car Connect app – as well as an optional nose-lifting kit to help over speed bumps – it’s even easier to live with. Add to that 32.5mpg and 199g/km, and you’ll spend less money at the pumps and on tax. The only downsides are a decrease in decibels due to those turbos and a more subdued rush to the red line at the top of the rev range.
